A Veggie a Day

Fresh fruits and vegetables play a huge role in staying healthy. But local farms are getting hit hard by the reduced demand for produce during the coronavirus shutdown.

“We ship to cruise lines, public schools and restaurants, so we’re definitely being affected,” said Karl Wiegandt, owner and operator of Burrs Berry Farm in Miami. As part of the Pine Island Tomato Farm, Burrs Berry Farm is still shipping to Publix. “We’re trying to make the best of it.”

Although the South Florida growing season is winding down, many farms are turning to produce boxes to meet the new COVID-fueled demand for fresh produce.

Burrs Berry Farm (floridastrawberryfarm.com) offers a $25 mixed produce box, available for drive-thru pickup on Saturdays, at 12741 SW 216th St., Miami.

The process is similar at many farms: Produce boxes are placed directly in the trunk so drivers do not need to get out of the car, and boxes are sold starting at 9 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies run out. At Burrs Berry, boxes include a mix of sweet potatoes, red potatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, corn, tomatoes, plums, eggplant, oranges, grapefruit, beans, cantaloupe, onions and limes. Watermelons are an additional $5 while supplies last.

Wiegandt said he tried selling produce boxes seven years ago. “It was a little bit popular, but not as popular as now.”

One positive to come out of Florida’s shutdown, he said, is an awareness of eating local. “It’s not about supporting me or a local farmer, its about eating what’s close to you,” he said. “We’ve got all this produce from Tampa south. Why are you bringing stuff in from Mexico?”

Wiegandt said many Florida farmers have shrunk their acreage and production because they cannot compete with countries that do not have labor laws.

But Florida agriculture is also a close-knit community that supports each other. “We all specialize in something. We’re really good in one or two or three or four things, such as beans, cantaloupes, strawberries, peppers, tomatoes.”

Local farmers are helping to feed a large portion of South Florida, Wiegandt said, as well as much of the country for half a year, when it is too cold to grow crops in those regions.

And that food source is much more important that many people think, he said. “It’s your most trusted item, what you’re putting in your mouth,” but most people don’t know where their food comes from and who produces and processes it.

“We would love nothing more than this heightened awareness, for people to say, ‘I never knew that they grew this. We can get all this right here, and it is readily available, and we can get it fresh every single day.'”

He encouraged people to continue to support their local farmers and businesses, even after social distancing ends. “That doesn’t pertain just to food, but everything we buy. If there is something you can get in the U.S., you should be supporting it.”

Burrs Berry will continue selling produce boxes as long as there is a demand for it. People can make requests on the website or at facebook.com/BurrsBerryFarm.

You can get fresh vegetables and support local farms by buying produce boxes from other farmers and U-pick fields near you, including the following:

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Bee Heaven Farm (beeheavenfarm.com/farm-stand/) has a Pop-up Farm Stand, 2-6 p.m. Fridays, at 19000 SW 264th St. in Redland. Bee Heaven Farm will match your SNAP/EBT purchases with 1:1 Fresh Access Bucks, good for Florida-grown fresh fruits and vegetables and food plants onsite, through April 30.

The Robert is Here fruit stand, at 19200 SW 344th St. in Homestead, is open for drive-through ordering, according to its website. You can order select milkshakes, vegetables, herbs, dressings, spreads and honeys online at robertishere.com. Keep an eye on facebook.com/robertisherefruitstandandfarm for updates.

Martha’s U-Pick is open all year, and the field still had strawberries, tomatoes, kale and onions in April, said Uriel Corona, Martha’s son. After that, most of the produce at Martha’s will come from packing houses in Miami, with seasonal fruits and vegetables – such as honey, guava, yellow squash and zucchini – from local farmers in South Florida. Martha’s is at 15701 SW 177th Ave. in Miami. Visit facebook.com/pages/Marthas-U-Pick/341179825900512.

BROWARD COUNTY

Family Farms, at 14950 SW 14th St. in Davie, is offering Farm Fresh Boxes for pre-order and pick-up Thursday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is also a U-pick available. Visit familyfarmsonline.com.

Harpke Family Farm, at 2781 SW 36th St. in Dania Beach, sells lettuce, microgreens, tomatoes, honey, eggs and juice on its website at harpkefamilyfarm.com for pick-up the next day.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Mobile Green Market, at 9677 Clint Moore Road in Boca Raton, is open daily except Mondays for drive-through, cash only, $10 prepackaged assorted veggie boxes. Each box includes a 1-pound bag of green beans, bell peppers (red, yellow and green), yellow squash, green zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and assorted peppers. They also sell 10 ears of Florida sweet corn for $5. Check facebook.com/mobilegreenmarkets for updates.

Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market, at 10066 Lee Road in Boynton Beach, offers curbside service for produce boxes on select days that are announced at facebook.com/Bedners. Bedner’s boxes are sold for $29.99 (credit card only) from 9 a.m. until sell-out with no limit. You can also purchase meats, eggs, bread and more curbside. Bedner’s U-pick field has green peppers through April and cucumbers, tomatoes, sunflowers and grape tomatoes through May. The field is open every day except Tuesday. Visit bedners.com.

Mecca Family Farms, at 7965 Lantana Road in Lake Worth, is open Mondays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mecca sells $10 boxes of fresh mixed produce or fruit for drive-through pick-up, and customers can also order individual produce for $10 a box, cash or Venmo only. Visit facebook.com/MeccaFamilyFarms.